Packaging method and apparatus



3 Sheets-Sheet l M. J. MYLES ET AL PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS IN V EN TORS 9///LC/d6 ZJ7/{y a QomaraWZf/Jm cza BY )8 Q m/vzey F M. t and H IHJ May 24, 1966 Filed July 18, 1962 May 24, 1966 M. .1. MYLES ET AL PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1962 INVENTORS y/fe cw aegj Q/{yfea 20777 72 j flcza May 24, 1966 MYLES ET AL 3,252,267

PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed July 18, 1962 3 SheetsSheet 5 IN V EN TOR S 3,252,267 PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS Michael J. .Myles, Downers Grove, and Roman M.

Tomczak, Willow'Springs, Ill., assignors to Union Carbide Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed July 18, 1962, Ser. No. 210,693 6 Claims. (Cl. 53-257) This invention relates to the art of packaging poultry in an envelope of flexible film. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved apparatus which is particularly efiicient and advantageous in high-speed continuous operations of packaging whole dressed turkeys in flexible film bags. This invention enables the packaging equipment to be quickly and accurately adjusted to various predetermined settings to thereby accommodate bags of predetermined sizes concomitant to the sizes of the turkeys to be encased therein.

Large commercial poultry dressing and packaging operators purchase turkeys from the grower in flock lots. The flock is maintained as a unit through the killing, dressing and packaging operations and is thus graded for dressedout quality to determine the growers quality level. Such flocks are divided into hen and torn turkeys whose dressed weight ranges from about eight pounds to sixteen pounds for the hens, and fourteen pounds to twenty-four pounds for the torn turkeys. No effort is made to segregate the large and small birds when they are fastened to a continuously moving conveyor for killing, and advanced thereby through a continuous processing line.

Consequently, the dressed turkeys that are continuously advanced to the bag packaging stations vary indiscriminately in weight, from bird to bird. The packaging of the wide size range of turkeys encountered in such a processing operation requires the corollary choice of an appropriate flexible film bag from a supply that ranges in size from about eighteen inches to twenty-six inchesin circumference. If a bag is used that is too small for the product, the result is adverse bag breakage or an undesirable narrowing of the conformation of the encased bird. If a bag is used that is too large for the product, the result is a loose-fitting package of poor appearance.

Prior art apparatus for packaging food items in flexible film envelopes employed a plurality of cantilevered stretching fingers forming a passage over which the bag was placed in relaxed condition and expanded by the fingers to a stretched condition. Two of the fingers comprising the finger-formed passage were fastened to a fixed post, one finger thereon being removably fastened thereto and the other fingers being adjustably fastened thereto. The other two fingers of the finger-forming passage were fastened to a pneumatically operated horizontally slidable past, one finger thereon being removably fastened thereto, and the other finger being adjustably fastened thereto.

Adjustment of this prior art apparatus to vary the height and width of the finger-formed passage for different bag sizes was time consuming and proved ineflicient for high-speed turkey packaging operations.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for quickly adjusting the periphery of an expandable finger-formed stretching passage to a variety of predetermined perimeter dimensions.

It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus having readily adjustable means for stretching flexible film bags of a size associated with varying sizes of dressed turkeys, to predetermined stretched perimeters larger than the perimeter of the dressed turkeys to be packaged therein, .to thus enable the turkey to be freely inserted in a bag having a maximum stretched perimeter exceeding the normal perimeter of the bag prior to stretchmg.

Another object of this invention is to provide an appa ratus for the packaging of poultry items having means for circumferentially expanding substantially the entire length of a flexible film bag; means for readily and quickly adjusting said expanding means in two dimensions; and means associated with said expanding means for fending and guiding normally projecting wing parts of the item into the mouth of the expanded bag to thereby minimize the maximum periphery of the item being inserted into the bag.

Other and additional objects will become apparent from the following description of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawings.

The invention is particularly adapted to the high-speed packaging of variable size poultry items such as turkeys in bags of flexible film to yield packaged items wherein the poultry items are tightly wrapped and snugly conformed within the bags walls Comprising the stretched film. According to the present invention the bag, whose normal unstretched perimeter is smaller than the maximum perimeter of the poultry i-tem transverse to its longitudinal axis, is simultaneously elastically stretched circumferentially along its entire length to a larger perimeter than the poultry item. The bag is maintained in such circumferentially stretched state until after the poultry item is longitudinally inserted therein, with its breast portion first, and the bag is then longitudinally stretched by pushing the poultry items breast portion against the bag bottom while removing the applied circumferential stretching stress from the bag.

The finger means comprising the upper portion of the stretching passage are preset to a selected predetermined vertical dimension of the bag-stretching passage by readily adjustable positioning and clamping means, fastening them to one movable and one fixed vertical post, and are expanded to a predetermined horizontal dimension of the expanded bag-stretching passage by the stroke of a pneumatically actuated piston cooperating with readily removable stops or latches that engage the movable post to limit its travel and in combination thereby regulate the periphery of the finger-formed passage. A tapered prodnet-shaping passage is provided anteriorly to the fingerformed passage to fend and guide projecting parts of the bird into the mouth of the stretched bag. One Wall of the product-shaping passage is afiixed to the movable post and as the piston stroke is regulated to thereby limit the finger-formed passage to receive different size birds, the product-shaping passage is concurrently adjusted therewith. The stroking of the pneumatically opera-ted piston collapses and expands the finger-formed passage. The separate finger means cdmprising the stretching passage and the length of stroke of the piston are quickly and readily adjustable to selected predetermined dimensions conforming -to the bird to be packaged and yield an expanded passage that stretches a flexible bag to a larger perimeter than the bird, and permits advancing the bird therein to the bag bottom. The bird bottomed in the bag is pushed through the finger passage as the passage is caused to collapse, thereby encasing the bird in the bag as it is stripped from the finger-formed passage.

A more complete understanding of the present invention, its mode of operation and its advantages may be gathered from the accompanying drawings showing construction details of a typical apparatus embodying this invention and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of an apparatus of the invention shown in non-stretching or collapsed condition with a flexible bag in place on the stretching fingers and showing the upper fingers in an alternate position for receiving a larger bag (in dotted lines).

FIGURE 2 is a front end elevation of the apparatus showing a flexible bag in place on the stretching fingers and showing the upper fingers in an alternate position for receiving a larger bag (in dotted lines).

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus of the invention in the expanded or stretching condition with a flexible bag in place on the stretching fingers, turkey inserted into the passage, and showing the upper fingers in an alternate position for receiving a larger bag (in dotted lines).

FIGURE 4 is a front end elevation of the apparatus with a flexible bag in place on the stretching fingers, a turkey inserted into the mouth of the passage, and the upper fingers in an alternate position for receiving a larger bag and larger turkey (in dotted lines).

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective of an apparatus of the invention showing one of four stretching fingers aflixed to a movable post in collapsed condition and showing another stretching finger fastened to a slide bloc'k removed from the movable post (alignment in dotted lines).

FIGURE 6 is a perspective (exploded view) of the disassembled components of the embodiment of FIG- URE l, the dotted center lines of the components showing the relationship to their assembly into the apparatus of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 77 of FIGURE 5.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, the reference numerals 10 and 12 designate a pair of stretching fingers, and the reference numerals 14 and 16 designate a second pair of stretching fingers as will hereafter more fully be explained, means are provided to readily adjust the relative positions of the stretching fingers and to impart a controlled stroking or relative movement to the two pairs of stretching fingers in a direction away from or toward each other whereby the perimeter about said fingers will be increased and decreased respectively. The fingers are in terchangeable with fingers of differing shapes. In the preferred embodiment the two pairs of fingers are a rounded right angle shape aligned in rectangular arrangement, however, they can be interchanged with sloping fingers, or curved or curved-sloping fingers to provide a shapeforming passage such as a semicircular or truncated triangular passage appropriate to the product item 6 to be packaged in bag 8 of flexible film.

In the form shown in FIGURES l and 2, and in more detail in FIGURE 6, lower outboard stretching finger 10 has as an integral part a tongue block that is fitted and secured by pin 22 into a mating groove machined in the base casting 18 of the apparatus.

Upper outboard stretching finger 12, aligned with finger 10, has as an integral part a tongue block that is fitted and secured by pin 22 into a mating groove machined in slotted block 20. Block 20 is clamped by cap screw 24 to the upper end of adjustable hexagonal bar post 26. The lower end of post 26 slidably journalled in a slotted extension of base 18, has on one face spaced holes 30 that cooperate with spring-loaded detent shown generally as 28, that in turn is screw-fastened into base v18. The position and spacing of holes 30 is predetermined to provide a spacing between fingers 10 and 12 appropriate to fitting thereon the preselected flexible bags to be used in the packaging operation. To provide a spacing between finger 10 and adjustable finger 12 that is intermediate to the spacings obtained by the settings of holes 30, the lower end of hexagonal post 26 may be clamped to the base 18 by cap screw 24. As shown in FIGURE 7, the lowermost end of post 26 is fastened by a clip angle to the outer end of a constant tension coil spring 32 that is rotatably journalled on a shaft attached to the inner side wall 34 of a groove in .an extension of base 18. The spring 32 is preselected to have a force tension in unwinding that counterbalances the combined weight of post 26, top block 20, finger 12 and fastenings 22, 24 mounted thereon. The counterbalancing of the finger 12 mounting combination serves to promote a quick height adjustment of the finger 12 without injury to the operator.

Lower inboard stretching finger 14, aligned with finger 10, has as an integral part a tongue block that is fitted and secured by pin 22 into a mating groove machined in a right angle extension 38 in the lower end of, and an integral part of slidably movable post 36.

Upper inboard stretching finger 16 aligned with finger 14, has as an integral part a tongue block that is fitted and secured by pin 22 into a mating groove machined in slide block 40. Block 40 has a T-slot slidable on the T-shaped walls of movable post 36. A spring-loaded detent shown generally as 42 is screw-fastened into block 40, and the detent is arranged to cooperate with spaced holes 44 on one wall of movable post 36, block 40 being adjusted to predetermined heights corresponding to the hole spacing. The position of holes 44 is predetermined to provide a spacing between fingers 14 and 16 appropriate to fitting thereon the preselected flexible bags to be used in the packaging operation. To provide a spacing between finger 14 and adjustable finger 16 that is intermediate to the spacings obtained by the settings of holes 44, the block 40 may be clamped to the post 36 by hand knob 46.

As a result of aligning finger 12 with finger 10, and aligning finger 14 with 110, and 16 with 14, as described above and by adjustment of upper fingers .12 and 16 into appropriate similar hole settings, a passage is formed by the fingers that is greater than one dimension (such as the vertical dimension) of the item to be inserted in the flexible film bag. An alternate embodiment may be provided by having differently shaped finger blades interchangeable in the tongue block .groove mountings described above such that the shape-forming passage may be of semicircular or truncated triangular form instead of the generally rectangular form of the preferred embodiment.

Refer additionally to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. A piston rod 48 of a pneumatically operated cylinder 50' is secured to movable post 36. Cylinder 50 is slidably secured in a bore in split block 52 of base 18 and is positioned to be clamped therein by clamping screw handle 54. This arrangement provides a major adjustment of the cylinder with respect to the base of the apparatus and thereby permits adjusting the setting of the movable fingers in the bag-unstretched position to accommodate more than one of the several bag sizes being used for the pack-aging of poultry items.

Hose connections 62, 64 on cylinder 50 are connected to a source of compressed air, and these connections a1- ternately admit and exhaust the compressed air from opposite ends of the cylinder by valves, pressure regulators and speed controls (not shown) to stroke the piston rod 48. Movable .post '36 secured to the piston rod 48 is stroked in a direction away from and toward the outboard fingers 10, 12 whereby the spacing between the fingers 10, 12 and fingers =14, 16 is respectively increased and decreased. 'Pilot slide rod 56 is secured at one end to post 36 spaced apart from the connection with piston rod 48 and is journa-lled at 58 in a boss 60 of apparatus base 18. As the fingers on movable post 36 are stroked by the piston they are maintained in passage forming alignment with stationary fingers 12 resisting rotational movement, by cooperation of piston rod 48 and pilot rod 56 in the respective base clamp block 52 and journal 58.

Latch block 68 is mounted by an integral band clamp onto cylinder 50 adjacent the piston rod end thereof. Latch shaft 70 is fastened to block 68 and projects from its outboard wall to mount U-shaped removable collars or stop latches 74, 76, 78 journa-lled thereon. Latches 74, 76, 78 maybe readily, separately rotated about shaft 70, see FIGURE 5, into an operative position shown generally as 73 cradling piston rod 48; or may be removed therefrom to an inoperative position shown generally as 79 (dotted) contacting stop pin 72 projecting from block 68. Piston rod 48 has split collar 66 fastened thereto by set screw 67. The inboard face of collar 66 has a rubber cushion 8t) recessed therein and as piston rod 48 is stroked (inboard direction) in a packaging cycle by cylinder 50, cushion 80 of collar 66 contacts the outermost of such stop latches as are arranged in the operative position 73, thereby arresting movement of piston rod 48 and limiting the spacing (bag-stretched position) between movable bag stretching fingers 14, 16 and stationary fingers 10, 12. Latches 74, 76, 78 are of predetermined thicknesses allowing a selected number of latches, such as one, two or three or more latches, to be rotated into or out of the operative position 73 and thereby adjustably limit the expanded passage formed by the fingers to a dimensiongreater than one dimension (such as the horizontal dimension) of the item to be inserted in the flexible film bag.

Anterior to the finger-formed passage and aligned therewith is an adjustably tapered product-shaping passage formed by outboard wall 88, inboard wall 84 and a floor comprised of a portion of product supporting shelf 94. Support shelf 94 is fastened to a side wall of apparatus base 18. Spaced adjustment rods 92 are slidably fastened to the lower surface of shelf 94 and are journalled to outboard wall '88 by U-brackets 90. In-

board wall 84 is fastened by bracket 86 to movable post 36 and concurrently as the stroke of piston rod 48 is adjusted to thereby limit the expanded finger-formed passage to receive different size items to be packaged, the product shaping passage is adjusted to fend and guide projecting parts of the item into the finger-formed passage.

Support plate 82 (FIGURE 5) is fastened to the side surfaces of base '18 at an elevation conjoint with product shelf 94 to serve as an extension thereto, and to guide the product item to the bag mouth. Plate 82 has scribed on its top surface, predetermined guide lines identifying by bag size, the bag-unstretched setting of cylinder 50 by the concurrent indexing of finger blade 14 thereto.

The following is an illustrative example of the operation of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus. A young male turkey of about sixteen pounds weight can be encased in a commercially desirable package by the apparatus of the invention using an 11" fiat width (2 2 circumference) Visten pouch bag (of seamless plasticized polyvinyl chloride film) sheathed on four stretching fingers having blades of 2 /2" height with a radius on the outer edge. The pouch bag is sheathed onto the collapsed finger formed passage adjusted to 8 /2 vertical spacing (middle hole 30, 44 setting) and 3" horizontal spacing (piston 50 adjusted in bore of clamp block 52). Piston stop latches 78, 76, each A" thick, are rota-ted to inoperative position 79 and when piston rod 48 is stroked (inboard direction) it is arrested by stop latch 74 to provide an expanded finger-formed passage of 8 /2" horizontal spacing, thereby stretching the bag sheathed thereon. The turkey is pushed through the tapered product-shaping passage, breast portion first, into the generally rectangular expanded passage 8 /2" high and 8 /2" wide to the bottom of the bag and is further advanced to strip the bag from the stretching fingers as the passage is caused to collapse.

The bags can be formed from seamless tubing with the closed bottom made by a straight across or arcua-te heat-seal. The invention, however, is not restricted to the use of bags made from seamless tubing but is equally applicable to bags made from film having a longtiudinal seam obtained by overlapping the films marginal edges, as well as bags made by sealing the edges of two superimposed film layers.

As used herein, the term film is not necessarily limited to but includes: plasticized polyvinyl chloride films; synthetic rubber films; cellulosic films; polyolefin films such as polyethylene and polypropylene, and the like; and also heat-shrinkable films 'wherein the product is loosely enveloped therein and in a subsequent step is subjected to heat thereby to shrink the film snugly about the product items.

Since it is obvious that 'various changes and modifications may be made in the above description Without depar-ting from the nature or spirit thereof, this invention is not restricted thereto except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A packaging apparatus having interchangeably mounted stretching fingers forming a projecting passage and adapted to be inserted in a flexible container comprising a lower outboard finger secured to a base and fixed in position; an upper outboard finger secured in a passage forming alignment with the lower outboard finger, means to adjust the upper outboard finger to a predetermined fixed position; a lower inboard finger in passage forming alignment with the lower outboard finger and secured to a movable post; an upper inboard finger secured to said movable post and in passage forming alignment with the lower inboard finger; means to adjust the upper inboard finger to a predetermined position; the heights of the upper fingers being adjusted in accordance with one dimension of the item to be inserted in said flexible container; means secured to the movable post and adapted to stroke said movable post in a direction away from and toward'the outboard fingers whereby the distance between the fingers is respectively increased and decreased; latch means external to said stroking means to adjust the throw of said stroke by arresting the movement of said movable post; a product-shaping passage in passage forming alignment with said fingers, one wall of said passage adapted to move with the movable post.

2. A packaging apparatus having interchangeably mounted stretching fingers forming a projecting passage and adapted to be inserted in a flexible container comprising a lower outboard finger secured to a base and fixed in position; an upper outboard finger secured on the upper end of an adjustable post and in a passage form ing alignment with the lower outboard finger, means to adjust and secure the upper outboard finger to said base at a predetermined fixed position; a lower inboard finger in passage forming alignment with the lower outboard finger and secured to a movable post; an upper inboard finger secured to said movable post and in passage forming alignment withthe lower inboard finger; means to adjust the upper inboard finger to a predetermined position; the heights of the upper fingers being adjusted in accordance with one dimension of the item to be inserted in said flexible container; a reciprocating force member secured to the movable post and means adapted to stroke said movable post in a direction away from and toward the outboard fingers whereby the distance between the fingers is respectively increased and decreased; latch means external to said stroking means to adjust the throw of said stroke by arresting the movement of said movable post; and a tapered product-shaping passage in passage forming alignment with said fingers, one wall of said passage secured to the movable post.

3. A packaging apparatus having interchangeably mounted stretching fingers forming a projecting passage and adapted to be inserted in a flexible container comprising a lower outboard finger secured to a base in a fixed position; an upper outboard finger secured on the upper end of an adjustable post releasably secured to said base and in a passage forming alignment with the lower outboard finger, means to adjust the upper outboard finger to a predetermined fixed position; a lower inboard finger in passage forming alignment with the lower outboard finger and secured to a movable post; an upper inboard finger secured to said movable post and in passage forming alignment with the lower inboard finger; means to adjust the upper inboard finger to a predetermined position; the heights of the upper fingers being adjusted in accordance with one dimension of the item to be inserted in said flexible container; a piston rod secured to the movable post and means adapted to stroke said movable post in a direction away from and toward the outboard fingers whereby the distance between the fingers is respectively increased and decreased; means external to said stroking means to adjust the throw of said stroke by arresting the movement of said movable post by contact, said means comprising at least one removable collar positioned in the path of said piston rod;

and a tapered product-shaping passage in passage forming alignment with said fingers, one wall of said passage secured to the movable post.

4. A packaging apparatus having interchangeably mounted stretching fingers forming a projecting passage and adapted to be inserted in a flexible container comprising a lower outboard finger releasably secured to a base in a fixed position; an upper outboard finger secured on the upper end of an adjustable post releasably secured to said base and in a passage forming alignment with the lower outboard finger, means on said adjustable post to adjust the upper outboard finger to a predetermined fixed position, means to counterbalance said adjustable post when unsecured to said base, a lower inboard finger in passage forming alignment with the lower outboard finger and secured to a movable post; an upper inboard finger secured to said movable post and in passage forming alignment with the lower inboard finger; means to adjust the upper inboard finger to a predetermined position; the heights of the upper fingers being adjusted in accordance with one dimension of the item to be inserted in said flexible container; a pneumatically controlled double-acting piston rod secured to the movable post and means adapted to stroke said movable post in a direction away from and toward the outboard fingers whereby the distance between the fingers is respectively increased and decreased; means external to said stroking means to adjust the throw of said stroke by arresting the movement of said movable post by contact; said means comprising at least one removable collar positioned in path of said piston rod; a tapered product-shaping passage in passage forming alignment with said fingers, one wall of said passage secured to the movable post and adapted to move therewith, and one wall secured and in tapered alignment with said lower outboard finger.

5. A packaging apparatus having interchangeably mounted stretching fingers forming a projecting passage and adapted to be inserted in' a flexible container comprising a lower outboard finger releasably secured to a base mounting; an upper outboard finger secured in vertical alignment with the lower outboard finger on the upper end of an adjustable post, the lower end of said post releasably secured in said base by a detent in said base, constant tension spring means secured in said base and adapted to counterbalance said adjustable post and upperoutboard finger when said post is unsecured to said base and adjustable to predetermined heights by engaging and disengaging said detent with a hole alignment in said adjustable post; a lower inboard finger secured in a mounting in horizontal alignment with the lower outboard finger base mounting, said mounting being an integral part of a horizontally movable post; an upper inboard finger secured in vertical alignment with the lower inboard finger in a mounting integral with an adjustable block, said block cooperating with the movable post, said block having a detent cooperating with holes on one wall of said movable post and adjustable thereby to predetermined heights corresponding to the hole spacing; the heights of the upper fingers being adjusted in accordance with one dimension of the item to be inserted in said flexible container; a piston rod secured to the movable post and means adapted to stroke said rod in a direction away from and toward the outboard fingers whereby the distance between the fingers is respectively increased and decreased, pneumatically actuated means to stroke said piston in the direction increasing the distance between the fingers; means external to said pneumatically actuated means to adjust the stroke of said piston rod stroking by arresting the movement thereof by contact, with at least one removable collar positioned in the path of said piston rod whereby the flexible container positioned on the fingers will be stretched to a predetermined perimeter greater than the perimeter of the item to be packaged therein; a tapered product-shaping passage in alignment with said fingers comprising a passage forming floor secured in horizontal alignment with said lower fingers, an outboard wall forming said passage secured in tapered alignment with said outboard lower fingers, a passage forming inboard wall secured to the movable post to move therewith and in tapered alignment with said lower inboard finger whereby projecting parts of the item to be packaged are guided into the mouth of the stretched container.

6. A packaging apparatus having interchangeably mounted stretching fingers forming a projecting passage and adapted to be inserted in a flexible container comprising a lower outboard finger releasably secured to a base in a fixed position; an upper outboard finger secured in passage forming alignment with the lower outboard finger on the upper end of an adjustable post releasably secured to said base; spring means adapted to counterbalance said adjustable post when said post is unsecured to said base said adjustable post being adjustable to predetermined heights, the lower end of said post being secured by a cooperating detent in the apparatus base and hole alignment in the post; a lower inboard finger in passage forming alignment with the lower outboard finger and secured to a movable post; an upper inboard finger secured in passage forming alignment with the lower inboard finger in a mounting integral with an adjustable block, said block cooperating with said movable post, said block having a detent cooperating with holes on one wall of said movable post and adjustable thereby to predetermined heights corresponding to the hole spacing; the heights of the upper fingers being adjusted in accordance with one dimension of the item to be inserted in said flexible container; a piston rod and a pilot rod spaced from said piston rod and secured to the movable post, means adapted to stroke said movable post in a direction away from andtoward the outboard fingers whereby the distance between the fingers is respectively increased and decreased, means to maintain passage forming alignment of the inboard fingers with the outboard fingers while stroking said movable post; means external to said stroking means to adjust the throw of said stroke by arresting the movement of said movable post'by Contact with at least one removable U-shape collar positioned in path of said piston rod; a tapered product-shaping passage in passage forming alignment with said fingers, one Wall of said passage secured to'the movable post and adapted to move therewith, and one wall secured and in tapered alignment with said lower outboard finger, and a passage forming fioor secured to the apparatus base in horizontal alignment with said lower fingers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner. TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Examiner. 

1. A PACKAGING APPARATUS HAVING INTERCHANGEABLY MOUNTED STRETCHING FINGERS FORMING A PROJECTING PASSAGE AND ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED IN A FLEXIBLE CONTAINER COMPRISING A LOWER OUTBOARD FINGER SECURED TO A BASE AND FIXED IN POSITION; AN UPPER OUTBOARD FINGER SECURED IN A PASSAGE FORMING ALIGNMENT WITH THE LOWER OUTBOARD FINGER, MEANS TO ADJUST THE UPPER OUTBOARD FINGER TO A PREDETERMINED FIXED POSITION; A LOWER INBOARD FINGER IN PASSAGE FORMING ALIGNMENT WITH THE LOWER OUTBOARD FIGNER AND SECURED TO A MOVABLE POST; AN UPPER INBOARD FINGER SECURED TO SAID MOVABLE POST AND IN PASSAGE FORMING ALIGNMENT WITH THE LOWER INBOARD FINGER; MEANS TO ADJUST THE UPPER INBOARD FINGER TO A PREDETERMINED POSITION; THE HEIGHTS OF THE UPPER FINGERS BEING ADJUSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ONE DIMENSION OF THE ITEM TO BE INSERTED IN SAID FLEXIBLE CONTAINER, MEANS SECURED TO THE MOVABLE POST AND ADAPTED TO STROKE SAID MOVABLE POST IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM AND TOWARD THE OUTBOARD FINGERS WHEREBY THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE FINGERS IS RESPECTIVELY INCREASED AND DECREASED; LATCH MEANS EXTERNAL TO SAID STROKING MEANS TO ADJUST THE THROW OF SAID STROKE BY ARRESTING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID MOVABLE POST; A PRODUCT-SHAPING PASSAGE IN PASSAGE FORMING ALIGNMENT WITH SAID FINGERS, ONE WALL OF SAID PASSAGE ADAPTED TO MOVE WITH THE MOVABLE POST. 